City of Brampton
A young boomtown with cultural complexities and super-low rents

A city of half a million people located in the Peel region of the GTA, Brampton is
as multicultural as they come. People who would normally fall into the visible
minority category are in fact in the majority here, Sikhism is one of the dominant
religions, and it is demographically one of the youngest cities in Canada. The
core of Brampton houses the headquarters of some of the country's biggest
companies, including Loblaws, Chrysler, Rogers, Coca-Cola and Canadian Tire.
The Chrysler manufacturing plant located here is one of the biggest employers in
Canada. These companies and the residents of Brampton enjoy easy access to
the international airport, Toronto Pearson, located just outside the city's borders
in Mississauga.

Who Lives Here

Diversity is the keyword for Brampton. The majority of
residents are married couples with children, and parents often work right within
Brampton's borders at one of the many huge companies located here, or
commute into the city of Toronto at the southeast corner of Brampton. The
median age is just 33.7, so the population is relatively young.

Perfect for…

Young professionals who've found work in one of Brampton's big
business centres, or are seeking opportunities in the tech, communications or
manufacturing industries, or one of the multitudes of businesses that serve these
sectors. Couples with or without children will feel comfortable amid other families
just like them.

Not-so-perfect for…

Folks who value a small-town atmosphere. Brampton is a
big city with plenty of big-box shopping and traffic to boot. That aside, recent
reports of "white flight" have unveiled a certain crack in the cultural mosaic that
makes up Brampton's population, with the number of white people dwindling year
after year, meanwhile the population overall grew 20% from 2006 to 2011.

Life and Style

Cultural pride is in its prime here. The annual Carabram Festival
held each summer celebrates the city's multicultural nature and makes an effort
to display the colours and traditions of ethnic groups outside of the South Asian
majority of Brampton. Recent development has brought an influx of big-box
shopping to the city, while the downtown core retains a little of the heritage
charm from the city's early years. At the heart of downtown is the Rose Theatre
on Main Street, which hosts live shows of all types and is surrounded by great
restaurants and destinations for arts aficionados. Foodies of Brampton are in
their glory – the multicultural nature of the city has graced residents with an
endless palette of flavours from across the globe. A city comprised mainly of
twenty- and thirty-somethings has to offer at least a decent nightlife, and
Brampton has a few after-dark hotspots, including the pubs near the transit line
on Kennedy, Queen and Advance, and a handful of nightclubs, the most popular
being Throne on Advance.

Housing Market

For a big city, Brampton is the lowest-priced housing markets
in the Greater Toronto Area. With so many single-detached homes available and
tons of new construction still underway to create new communities, the city's
housing prices for prospective buyers remain nearly $100,000 below the GTA
average.

Avg. rent by type and size

Typical housing type

Single-family detached houses of all types, including heritage structures and new construction

Side note

As opposed to most communities around the GTA, most households in Brampton
have 4-5 people living in them. Many Brampton families have grandparents living
in the home, or have more than one family under one roof.

Neighbourhood

Gage Park is a great destination for families in Brampton. Located just in front of
city hall, the park has a big fountain in its centre and hosts live music in the
summer, and has a skating trail in the winter. Rose Theatre is another centre of
life for residents who like to catch excellent live performances and concerts right
in Brampton's downtown. Recreation in Brampton in top notch, with plenty of
community centres, gyms and other fitness services in full supply around the city.
Then there's the Brampton Sports Centre, which has since been renamed the
Powerade Centre, seating 5,000 and is the home of the Brampton Beast hockey
team, the A's basketball team and the Excelsiors of the lacrosse league, as well
as concerts throughout the year. The city has 85 public and private schools for
kids of all ages under two school boards, but is one of the cities with the fewest
libraries per capita, with just one such institution per 80,000 residents. Brampton
is also home to Sheridan College, which focuses on business education, as well
as Algoma University.

Landmarks

Rose Theatre

Gage Park

Powerade Centre

Bovaird House

Sabha Temple

Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives

Neighbourhoods

Bramalea

Originally developed as a planned "satellite" community by a commercial
developer, the former town has now been incorporated into Brampton and is
home to Bramalea City Centre, a large shopping mall. The area has a few high-
rise apartments mixed with detached homes and is the site of several large
manufacturing plants and Chingacousy Park's petting zoo and mini-golf.

Castlemore

This new community in Brampton's northeast started its boom in the early '90s
and hasn't stopped since. There are a handful of executive homes on huge lots.
There's also a golf course in the neighbourhood.

Churchville

Churchville began as a hub for industry in the mid-1800s and still retains a few
protected heritage houses from that period. Parts of this southwest
neighbourhood retain the rural feel that once categorized it, but recent
redevelopment has paved over many natural areas to make way for nicely
designed brick-faced houses and townhomes.

Claireville

The community that shares its name (and is home to) one of Toronto's biggest
remaining green spaces was once a tiny village east of Brampton. A few new
developments are popping up in Claireville, but it's mostly known for the
Claireville Conservation Area, Claireville Ranch and Riverstone Golf and Country
Club.

Credit Valley

Credit Valley is a newer area of Brampton being built for the city's upper and
upper-middle class. Huge manors are in no short supply here.

Downtown

Brampton's commercial heart also has some great residential areas with heritage
buildings and new construction. Boutique shops, bakeries and restaurants make
their homes here next to Gage Park, City Hall, the Rose Theatre, the Peel Art
Gallery, the GO Transit station and the city's weekly Farmer's Market.

Fletcher's

The west part of the city makes up the Fletcher's area, which includes Fletcher's
Meadow and the Greek Village. The neighbourhood is growing so quickly, the
local high school, built in 2005, already can't support its catchment area and was
forced to change its boundaries. Homes here have been built over the last 20
years or so, and most are detached single-family houses – although a few
condos and apartments have begun to appear.

Heart Lake

Named after the Heart Lake Conservation Area, which surrounds a swimmable
lake, a number of new developments have sprung up, offering buyers and
renters nice views over the natural green space. There are detached homes,
townhouses and condos.

Mount Pleasant

Geared to residents as a transit village, Mount Pleasant is the home of the GO
station by the same name, giving easy access to Toronto, Guelph and Kitchener.
Its development plan is for mixed-use construction, lending an urban feel to the
community. Housing here is mainly condos geared to the young generation of
Bramptonians. The neighbourhood has a central square with a pond and
fountain, a community centre, library, a few schools and cafes.

Snelgrove

Called a historic community, Snelgrove actually has a mix of older homes as well
as newer builds. The rail line once ran through this area, but residents nowadays
enjoy the proximity of Highway 410, which connects at Hurontario Street and
delivers commuters to Mississauga and the Expressway that runs through the
entire GTA.

City of Brampton
A young boomtown with cultural complexities and super-low rents

A city of half a million people located in the Peel region of the GTA, Brampton is
as multicultural as they come. People who would normally fall into the visible
minority category are in fact in the majority here, Sikhism is one of the dominant
religions, and it is demographically one of the youngest cities in Canada. The
core of Brampton houses the headquarters of some of the country's biggest
companies, including Loblaws, Chrysler, Rogers, Coca-Cola and Canadian Tire.
The Chrysler manufacturing plant located here is one of the biggest employers in
Canada. These companies and the residents of Brampton enjoy easy access to
the international airport, Toronto Pearson, located just outside the city's borders
in Mississauga.

Who Lives Here

Diversity is the keyword for Brampton. The majority of
residents are married couples with children, and parents often work right within
Brampton's borders at one of the many huge companies located here, or
commute into the city of Toronto at the southeast corner of Brampton. The
median age is just 33.7, so the population is relatively young.

Perfect for…

Young professionals who've found work in one of Brampton's big
business centres, or are seeking opportunities in the tech, communications or
manufacturing industries, or one of the multitudes of businesses that serve these
sectors. Couples with or without children will feel comfortable amid other families
just like them.

Not-so-perfect for…

Folks who value a small-town atmosphere. Brampton is a
big city with plenty of big-box shopping and traffic to boot. That aside, recent
reports of "white flight" have unveiled a certain crack in the cultural mosaic that
makes up Brampton's population, with the number of white people dwindling year
after year, meanwhile the population overall grew 20% from 2006 to 2011.

Life and Style

Cultural pride is in its prime here. The annual Carabram Festival
held each summer celebrates the city's multicultural nature and makes an effort
to display the colours and traditions of ethnic groups outside of the South Asian
majority of Brampton. Recent development has brought an influx of big-box
shopping to the city, while the downtown core retains a little of the heritage
charm from the city's early years. At the heart of downtown is the Rose Theatre
on Main Street, which hosts live shows of all types and is surrounded by great
restaurants and destinations for arts aficionados. Foodies of Brampton are in
their glory – the multicultural nature of the city has graced residents with an
endless palette of flavours from across the globe. A city comprised mainly of
twenty- and thirty-somethings has to offer at least a decent nightlife, and
Brampton has a few after-dark hotspots, including the pubs near the transit line
on Kennedy, Queen and Advance, and a handful of nightclubs, the most popular
being Throne on Advance.

Housing Market

For a big city, Brampton is the lowest-priced housing markets
in the Greater Toronto Area. With so many single-detached homes available and
tons of new construction still underway to create new communities, the city's
housing prices for prospective buyers remain nearly $100,000 below the GTA
average.

Avg. rent by type and size

Typical housing type

Single-family detached houses of all types, including heritage structures and new construction

Side note

As opposed to most communities around the GTA, most households in Brampton
have 4-5 people living in them. Many Brampton families have grandparents living
in the home, or have more than one family under one roof.

Neighbourhood

Gage Park is a great destination for families in Brampton. Located just in front of
city hall, the park has a big fountain in its centre and hosts live music in the
summer, and has a skating trail in the winter. Rose Theatre is another centre of
life for residents who like to catch excellent live performances and concerts right
in Brampton's downtown. Recreation in Brampton in top notch, with plenty of
community centres, gyms and other fitness services in full supply around the city.
Then there's the Brampton Sports Centre, which has since been renamed the
Powerade Centre, seating 5,000 and is the home of the Brampton Beast hockey
team, the A's basketball team and the Excelsiors of the lacrosse league, as well
as concerts throughout the year. The city has 85 public and private schools for
kids of all ages under two school boards, but is one of the cities with the fewest
libraries per capita, with just one such institution per 80,000 residents. Brampton
is also home to Sheridan College, which focuses on business education, as well
as Algoma University.

Landmarks

Rose Theatre

Gage Park

Powerade Centre

Bovaird House

Sabha Temple

Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives

Neighbourhoods

Bramalea

Originally developed as a planned "satellite" community by a commercial
developer, the former town has now been incorporated into Brampton and is
home to Bramalea City Centre, a large shopping mall. The area has a few high-
rise apartments mixed with detached homes and is the site of several large
manufacturing plants and Chingacousy Park's petting zoo and mini-golf.

Castlemore

This new community in Brampton's northeast started its boom in the early '90s
and hasn't stopped since. There are a handful of executive homes on huge lots.
There's also a golf course in the neighbourhood.

Churchville

Churchville began as a hub for industry in the mid-1800s and still retains a few
protected heritage houses from that period. Parts of this southwest
neighbourhood retain the rural feel that once categorized it, but recent
redevelopment has paved over many natural areas to make way for nicely
designed brick-faced houses and townhomes.

Claireville

The community that shares its name (and is home to) one of Toronto's biggest
remaining green spaces was once a tiny village east of Brampton. A few new
developments are popping up in Claireville, but it's mostly known for the
Claireville Conservation Area, Claireville Ranch and Riverstone Golf and Country
Club.

Credit Valley

Credit Valley is a newer area of Brampton being built for the city's upper and
upper-middle class. Huge manors are in no short supply here.

Downtown

Brampton's commercial heart also has some great residential areas with heritage
buildings and new construction. Boutique shops, bakeries and restaurants make
their homes here next to Gage Park, City Hall, the Rose Theatre, the Peel Art
Gallery, the GO Transit station and the city's weekly Farmer's Market.

Fletcher's

The west part of the city makes up the Fletcher's area, which includes Fletcher's
Meadow and the Greek Village. The neighbourhood is growing so quickly, the
local high school, built in 2005, already can't support its catchment area and was
forced to change its boundaries. Homes here have been built over the last 20
years or so, and most are detached single-family houses – although a few
condos and apartments have begun to appear.

Heart Lake

Named after the Heart Lake Conservation Area, which surrounds a swimmable
lake, a number of new developments have sprung up, offering buyers and
renters nice views over the natural green space. There are detached homes,
townhouses and condos.

Mount Pleasant

Geared to residents as a transit village, Mount Pleasant is the home of the GO
station by the same name, giving easy access to Toronto, Guelph and Kitchener.
Its development plan is for mixed-use construction, lending an urban feel to the
community. Housing here is mainly condos geared to the young generation of
Bramptonians. The neighbourhood has a central square with a pond and
fountain, a community centre, library, a few schools and cafes.

Snelgrove

Called a historic community, Snelgrove actually has a mix of older homes as well
as newer builds. The rail line once ran through this area, but residents nowadays
enjoy the proximity of Highway 410, which connects at Hurontario Street and
delivers commuters to Mississauga and the Expressway that runs through the
entire GTA.